Talking-machine



G. H. ISLEY.

TALKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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52 ,Bgjzii'ovne yj 4 24 M fM G. H. ISLEY.

TALKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, I918.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- I To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

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Be it known that I, GEORGE H. ISLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at \Vor'cester, in the county'ofN Vorcester and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful 1m rovementinTalking-Machines, of which t e follow ng, together with the accompanyingdrawings, is aspecification.

The present invention relates to talking machines, and more particularlyto such machines which are adaptedwto play continuously, by the use of amultiplicity of records, the latter being brought progressively, bymechanical means, into position for playing by the tone producingmechanism of the machine. The invention of the present applicationresides in certain improvements and refinements'upon a machine ofsimilar type which is shown and described in my prior, copendingapplication Serial No. 108,342, filed July 10, 1916, all as set forthmore fully. in the following description and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in whieh Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying mypresent invention, certain arts being broken away to disclose more ihllythe construction.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof partly on the line 22 ofFig. 1, disclosing interiorly the operating mechanism of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a central sectional view of the tone arm support andassociated parts. FFig. 4 is a'section on the iline4".4vof

' ig. 5 is a section on the line 5-75, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6. is a fragmentary detail-'vlew showing the governing mechanism ofthe machine, an I v Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail iew showin a modifiedcam constructionike reference characters refer to like parts in-thedifferent figures.

As herein shown, the machine provides a stand or support, which is inthe form-of a hollow rectangular box 1, adapted to'inclose the operatingmechanism of the machine. The box 1 in the form shown also may be.constructed .to provide the usual horn or sound diffuser 2, in thepresent instance shown as an opening through one tical partition .4within the box.

Specification of Letters Patent.

The curved sound passage 3 ope P'- Patented Oct. 5, 1920. Applicationfiled February 1c, 1910. semi Io. 217.479.

wardy through the top of partition 4, and

registers with a'sound tube 5, Fi 3, which projects per ndicularl througthe top or cover 6 o the'box.

from the under side of cover '6, as shown in Fig. 3. Surrounding thesound tube'5 he sound tube 5 1s, vheld stationary by a bracket 7,depending shown as four in number, and each su porting, at its outerend, a bifurcated brac et 14 Eroviding bearings for a vertical shaft 15.

ach of the four shafts 15 supports on its upperend a record table 16 ofordinary construction, adapted for receiving thereon a disk record ofthe type in general use. It will thus beseen that provision is made forthe rotati ve support of a plurality of radially disposed recordi tablesabout the axis constituted by the central sound tube,

the entire thrust of the several tables, and

the records supported thereby be taken by the bearing 10.

The stationarysound tube 5 has connected to its upper end, in the usualmanner, a holcapable of. limited rotative movement with respect to thesound tube by virtue'of an elongated slot 18 therein, in which is rearm.20 is thus supported and dis osed in the same manner as the tone arm 0the single record machines. now in, ordinary use;

j the reproducing mechanism 22 and needle 23, all ofordinaryconstruction and carried in the usual way by the free end of said tonearm, can swing back and 'forth'in a horizontal plane as the needletraverses the groove of a record, due to the pin and slot connection 18,19 between the tone arm support 17 and the stationary sound tube 5; alsosaid reproducing mechanism and needle can 'be ralsed from and loweredonto a record, in the usual manner. due to the low tone arm support 17,the latter being pivotal connectioii between tone arm 20. and itssupport 17 The bracket 7 on the opposite side tition 4 from the horn 2supports a. driving.

motor for the machine, preferably an electric motor 24, although anydesiredkind of. motor, such as a s ring motor, maybe used,"

The shaft 25 motor 24 is connected through the usual centrifugal speedgoverning device 26, Fig. 6, with an alined shaft 27 supportedjinbearings in ad; nding stationaryibracket-28Q he spee' regulating device26 is operable ini'the' usual manner in I devices of'this class tocontrol and maintain constant, for an desired regulation, the speed' ofshaft 2 as by means' of'a manipulating screw 29 projecting upwardlythrou h the cover 6 and connected by suitable linkage 30, -'31 to] thedevice 26, as shown in. Fig. 6. v f

,Th'ef bracket'28 provides a bearing32 for the support of a'verticalshaft 33, the latter having a worm gear-'34 thereon in mesh with a worm35011 the shaft 27. The upper 'end of shaft 33 projects through thecover 6,

beings uitably'journaled in a bearing 36 pro- I vide H bysaid cover, andon'its up or end said shaft hassecure'd a spur gear 3 The bearing 36)supports the hub 38 of a cam plate 39, wl1 i'ch is looselyfjournaled torock onfthe ax'is provided by'said shaft." The q plate 39"carries agear- 40 which is con-- stantlyin mesh with" the gear 37, lrrespectiveof'the position ofsaid plate. A spring 41 secured to the end of; theplate 39'on'the opposite side of its axis from the ,gear tendsyieldingly tourge the gear 40 inwardly of the machine, toward thecenterof rotation of the several record tables 16, for

-3 lg i s b h reinafter described.

ach record'table shaft .15'carries aspur ear 42,which-is adapted to meshwith and 1 eidriven" from'the gear 40 whenever the record associatedtherewith is brought into position to be played bythe reproducingmechanism 22.- As shown in Fig. 1, one of the record tables 16' isinplaying position beneath the r reducing mechanism 22,. and i the gear42 0 its shaft 15 is in mesh with gear 40, so as tovbe driven inaclockwise direction from the constantly rotating gear 37 duringtheplaying of the record 43'on said table. The other three record-tables16 are stationary', the gears 42 of their-respecthe shafts 15 beingremoved from operative connection with the driving motor." The spring 41throws the free end of plate 39 1nwardly,-so as to hold the gear 40 inmesh with the gear 42, as shown in Fig. 1'; it will be seen thatirrespective of the positionassinned by any particular gear 42 when itis brought to rest'in the playing position :for

' its associated record, the gear 40 will always accommodate itselfabout'the'shaft 33 so as to establish a driving connection with saidgear 42. Theinner edge of plate 39 is of and 42 the proper distance meshon their pitch lines.

rounded or cam formation, as shown at 44,

I ,and the curvature is such that it alwa s makes contact with 'theshaft 15 of t e record table which is in'playing position and acts as'aspacer to hold the axes of gears 40 Wart- 1; e., in I en 'the centrallysupported" multiple record carrying structure is moved, as hereinafterdescribed, 7

to carry another record, say the record45, into playing position, thepressure of shaft 15 against thisjcu'rvededge 44 throws the gears40'and'42 out of mesh and thus stops therotation of the record 43 whose,playing 7 has been completed,

The mechanism for moving the rotatable multi le record carryingstructure and for trans erring the reproducing device 22 from recordabout to be played willsnow be described in detaili The brackets 7 and28 provide alined bearings46- and 47 respectively fora rock shaft48,'the latter having secured thereto .at opposite ends a pair of arms49,49. The free ends of arms 49, 49 have journaled therein a shaft 50,which carries near one end a spiral or beveled gear 51 and near theother end a worm 52. The

gear 51 is adapted to be moved into and out of'mesh with "a similar gear53 on vertical shaft 33, "and simultaneously therewith the worth '52 isadapted to bemoved into. and

out of mesh with the worm gear'9 on the lower end of sleeve 8.The'movement of rock shaft 48, to accomplish this meshing and unmeshingof gears is effected by an arm 54 secured to said rock shaft and maderesponsive to the completion'of the playing of a given record by thereproducing mecha- 4 nism 22. That is, duringthe playing-of a record bythe machine, the rock shaft isso 'disposed as to hold the respectivegears 51,

position and another recordinto playing position. Upon the movement ofthe new record intofplace, so that the gear '42 of its table 16 is inmesh with driving gear 40,

the spring 55, must again becomeoperative standstill. The. mechanism foraccomplishin these functions-isas follows :5 fihe tone arm 20carries ametal collar 56,

a completed record to th'e'next succeeding to draw back the shaft 50 andthus. bring the rotatable-recordcarrying structure to a which issuitably insulated from the metal of the tone arm by a ring of'insulating material 57, or by any other suitable means.

. The collar 56 is electrically connect-ed to a source of electricalsupply, such as a battery or batteries 58, Fig. 1, by means of aninsulated conductor which is indicated by the dotted lines 59, passinginteriorly through the tone arm 20 and sound tube 5. It will beunderstood that electrical connection from the collar 56 to the sourceof current supply may be effected in other well known manner, the onlyrequisite being that the means of connectio'nbe wholly insulated fromthe machine. The other terminal of battery 58. is connected by anelectrical conductor 60 with an electromagnet 61, which is .suitablysecured to the bracket 7 in position to be 0 erative uponthe arm 54 ofrock shaft 48. return lead 62 from said electromagnet makes contactthrough brush 63 or the like with the sleeve 8, or with any part of themachine which is in electrical connectionwith the plate 12. Said plate12 provides an annular rim 64, providing a plurality of equidistantraised' portions 65, corresponding in number. to the number of recordtables 16. In the laying .of a record, the collar 56 is held y theneedle 23, above and out of contact with the rim 64 until said collarreaches one of the raised portions 65; the contact between the collarand the raised portion 65v completes the circuit through theelectromagnet 61, and by the action of this electromagnet on the arm 54draws the shaft 50- inwardly and, as above described, initiates therotative bodily movement of the multiple record carrying structure, tobring another record into'playing position.

This rotative bodily movement carries the record 43 out of playingposition, moving it bodily in a counter-clockwise direction about thevertical axis of tone arm 20. Said tone arm swings with the record inthe same direction through a limited arc, that is, until the pin 19reaches'the end of slot 18, whereupon horizontal motion of the tone armceases. The bodily rotative movement of the multiple record carryingstructure being continued, provision must be made for lifting the tonearm so that the needle 23 will not scrape across the groove of record 43this elevation of the tone arm is effected by the continuation of.movement of the plate 12 itself, which causes the collar 56 to ride upan inclined surface provided on the advancing edge of each raisedportion 65. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, these inclined surfaces,indicated at 66, are provided by plates 67 of the same height asportions 65 and forming, in effect, adjustable extensions of said raisedportions to vary the effective length thereof. Each raised portion 65 ispreferably provided with two such plates 67, one at each end thereof,said plates being short sections of curved spring metal of less radiusof curvature than the rim 64, and held frictionally in place against theouter simply by shifting "said plates 67 by horizontal movement Ofitheknobs 69 projecting from each pin or screw 68.

As shown in Fig. 7, this adjustment of the raised cam surfaces forcooperation with the collar 56 may be accomplished in a slightlydifferent but equivalent manner, by providing a rim 64' having its outersurface slightly burred or roughened. In this modification one of theplates 67 of each pair is disposed on the inside of the rim, and eachpin 68" passing through the corresponding slot ofthe rim hasan inwardlydirected projection 70 for coiiperation with the burred outer surface.The compression of the plate 67 retains it frictionally in place; whenit ture will be initiated, by the arrival of tone arm 20 in such aposition as to complete the circuit through electromagnet 61. The tonearm,after partaking of this horizontal shifting movement for apredetermined dlstance, is brought to a stop, and the horizontalmovement of the record continuing, said tone arm rides up the camsurface 66 to allow the record to pass unimpeded beneath the needle 23.This position to which the tone arm is returned, and where it stops, isthe position for the commencement of the playing of the next record 45,which is being simultaneously carried into playin position as the record43 is moved out of p aying position. As soon asthe record .45 reachesplaying position, with the gear 42 of its table 16 in mesh with gear 40,the collar 56 will reach the end of raised portion 65 which has beenholdin the tone arm in elevated position, and said collar slidinggradually down the incline 66 at the rear end of said moving raisedportion 65 will lower the needle 23 onto the outermost convolution ofthe groove of record 45. During this shifting of records. the gear 40rotates continuously. and if the stationary gear 42 of record 45 isbroughtinto mesh too suddenly, a strain is liable to be nit-posed on themechanism. To prevent this a curvedstationary rack 71 is supported onthe cover 6 in position to be engaged by gear 42 as said gear is movedalong by the bodily rotation ofthe record carrying support, toward itsplaying position. The engagement of gear 42 with rack 71 imparts aninitial slow rotation to the record before it reaches playing position,so that the gears'40 and 42 mesh easily, and the inertia of the table 16and record thereon is overcome; said record can therefore acquire itsproper :playing speed immediately it comes into playing position. I vThearrival of a record into playing position, as above described, iscoincident with spect, to its associated record, that the electricalconnection between collar 56 and the rim 64 will be broken as soon asthe outer v i convolution of the record groove reaches a pointapproximately beneath the needle 23.

It will be understood that the adjustment provided by the extensionplates 67 takes care..,of variations in the size of the records ODythBseveral tables 16; in other words, by

a previous setting of these extension plates, each record, whatever itssize, can be brought to rest with its outer groove in position toreceive the needle or stylus just as the latter is lowered into place,and obviously, the intermediate gear 40, as above described, enablestherotation of vertical shaft 33 to be transmitted to record table shaft15,

irrespective of the position which the latter assumes, as determined bythe size of the record on its table 16. a

The stoppage of a given record in playing position, as determined by aprevious setting of its corresponding cam plates 67, is accompanied bythe outward rocking of shaft 50, since the flow of current through'theelectromagnet 61 is stopped. To insure the absolute stoppage andretention of a record n itsplaylng position, and to prevent furthermovement of the rotative multiple record carrying support after thisplaying position has been reached, which might occur under its ownmomentum, a suitable frictionstop is provided. As herein shown, theunder side of worm ear 9 has a burred or roughened surfa'ce 2, withwhich cooperates a strip of spring steel 73, carried by the adj acentrocker arm 49 of shaft 48. When the shaft 50 is in its operativeposition, to cause rotation of the multiple record; carrying structure,the stri 73 is out of contact with the surface 72. owever, as soon as arecord arrives in playing position, the movement of shaft 50 todisconnect the gear 9 from its driving power, causes the .strip 73 tomake contact with the surface 72, and thus imposes a positive checkoiifany further rotation of the multiple record "1 Gratisarmeture underits own momenta i dental displacement thereofi tlOn. r v

The adjustment provided by'the'extension plates 67, as abovedescribed,adapts itself to any size of record, and further, affords a means ofmanipulation by which any record or any-:'-acci --g ,eitherdireo- I ofthe series contained on the tables 16 may a be skipped or omitted. Aparticularly con venient arrangement of cam plate extensions for thispurpose is shown in Fig, 7, where one plate67 of each pair is on theoutside of rim 64 and the otherpf'late 67 is on the in-.

side of rim64. This arrangement enables the plates of each pair to bespread apart so as to overlap the adjacent plates of the pairs of plateson each side, thus making it possible to play a given record and then toskip all the remainm records until a given record is again in p ayingposition. This arrangement eliminates the notches or v-shapeddepressions which would occur in the continuous raised portion thusconsti tutedby theplates if it were sought to accomplishthe abovedescribed repetition of a given record b manipulation of extensionplates arrange Such notches would be formed bythe inclined surfaces 66at the ends of the plates. The disposal of said plates on opposite sidesof the rim 64 allows them to overlap, and

all on one side of rim 64. I

on one ofsaid tables for transmitting the I power of said record drivingmechanism to move saidtables.

2. In a talking machine,ithe combination with a reproducing device, of amovable multiple record carrying support, record driving mechanismadapted to rotate each record on said support when brought into'position' for playing by said reproducing device, and means operable bythe movement of said reproducing device over 9. record for causing themovement of said'support by said record driving mechanism.

3. In a talking machine, the combination with a reproducing device, of amultiple record carrying support rotatable about the pivot of saidreproducing device, and a single actuating mechanism for the rotation ofsuccessive records on said support and for the rotation of said supportbetween the pcriods of playing of said records by said reproducingmechanism.

4. In a talking machine, the combination with a pivoted tone arm, of aplurality of record carrying tables movable bodily about the pivot ofsaid tone arm, an actuating mechanism for the rotation of successivetables presented in playing position to said tone arm, and means forautomatically connecting said actuating mechanism to said tables, toshift the latter in unison, upon the completion of the playing operationof a record.

5. In a talking machine, the combination with a single reproducingdevice, of a plurality of record carrying tables, a single ac.- tuatingmechanism for the rotation of records on successive tables, andelectrically operated means for procuring the shifting movement of saidtables by said actuating mechanism.

6. In a talking machine, the combination with a single reproducingdevice, of a plurality of record carrying tables, a single actuatingmechanism for the rotation of records on successive tables, and meansfor procuring the shifting movement of said tables by said actuatingmechanism in the periods between the playing of successive records bysaid reproducing device.

7. In a talking machine, a support for a plurality of records, a singleactuating means for the rotation of successive records on said support,and means for procuring movement of said support by said actuating meansto carry successive records into playing position.

8. In a talking machine, a rotatable support for a plurality ofindependently journaled records, a rotating shaft adapted for drivingsuccessive records on said support, and means for procuring the rotationof said I support from said shaft.

9. In a talking machine, a rotatable support for a plurality ofindependently journaled records, a rotating shaft adapted for drivingsuccessive records on said support, a

I second shaft adapted to transmit rotation of said first shaft to saidsupport, and normally held in inoperative position, and means operableautomatically by the completion of the playing of a record for movingsaid second shaft into operative position.-

10. In a talking machine, a rotatable support for a plurality ofindependently journaled records, a rotating shaft adapted for drivingsuccessive records on said support,

' a second shaft adapted to transmit rotation of said first shaft tosaid support, and normally held in inoperative position, andelectrically operated means for moving said second shaft into operativeposition.

11. In a talking machine, a rotatable support for -a plurality ofrecords, means operable by the completion of the playing of a record onsaid support for procuring, rotation of said support to carry anotherrecord into playing position, said means comprising a shaft adapted formovement into and out of operative relation to said support, and abraking means movable with said shaft, and operative on said supportwhen said shaft is moved into inoperative position.

12. In a talkingmachine, a support for a plurality of records, means forprocuring the movement of said support to dispose each record,successively, in playing position with its outer groove in apredetermined position, and means for procuring rotation of each recordin playing position, irrespective of the position of its axis ofrotation,

13. In a talking machine, a support for a plurality of records, meansfor moving said support, means for stopping said support to dispose eachrecord, successively, irrespective of its size, with its outer groove ina predetermined position, and means for procuring rotation of eachsuccessive record in said predetermined position.

14. In a talking machine, means for succesively moving a series ofrecords into position for playing, a gear associated with each of saidrecords, and a driving gear adapted to mesh successively with each ofsaid record gears, said driving gear being bodily movable to conform tothe positions I assumed by said record ears.

15. In a talking machlne, a rotatable support for a plurality ofindependentl journaled records, a rotating shaft for riving successiverecords on said support, and means bodily movable about said shaft as anaxis for transmitting the rotation of said shaft to said records.

16. In a talking machine, a support for a plurality of record tables, aear connected to each table, a rotating sha and a gear adapted forbodily movement about the axisof said shaft for transmitting therotation of said shaft to successive record table ears.

17. n a talking machine, a support for a plurality of'record tables, agear connected to each table, a continuously rotating driving gear, anda transmission gear in constant mesh with said driving gear and movableabout the axis thereof, for procuring rotation of said record tablegears as the latter are successively brought into mesh therewith.

18. In a talking machine, a support fo aplurality of record tables, agear connected to each table, a single driving gear adapted to meshsuccessively with each of said record .table gears 'upon the shifting ofsaid support to bring said tables successively into playing position,and means for maintaining the mesh of said plurality of record tables, agear connected to each table, a single driving gear adapted to meshsuccessively with each of said record table gears upon the shifting ofsaid support to bring said tables successively into playing position,and means engageable by the shaft of each record table gear forpreventing the mesh of said gears inwardly of their pitch lines.

20. Ina talking machine, a support for a plurality of record tables, agear connected to each table, a single driving gear adapted to meshsuccessively with each of said record table gears upon the shifting ofsaid support to bring said tables successively into playing position,and means for procuring the disengagement of said gears -upon thecommencement of movement of each record table out of playing position.

21. In a talking machine, the combination with a reproducing deviceadapted for the playing of a plurality of successively presentedrecords, of means for procuring the transfer of said reproducing devicefrom one record to another, comprising a pair of cooperating adjustablecurved cam plates,

associated with each record for retaining said reproducing device out ofcontact with said record, during its shifting movement,

said cam plates being held under tension in all positions of adjustmentthereof.

GEORGEII. ISLEY. Witnesses:

JOHN CLAYTON, PHILIP S. HULT.

